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I'd be lying if I said this is hard to believe. I guess I should say it's hard to believe he got cought. Most of the locals on here know Bob. They have his age wrong he's in his 60's now. Looks like he will be doing some time.

LONDON – A Northern Kentuckian and three Greater Cincinnatians have been implicated in a multi-million dollar motorcycle theft ring operating in Eastern Kentucky.

The ring members would alter vehicle identification numbers from stolen vehicles, including Harley Davidson and Big Dog motorcycles, before transferring the titles to others to be sold, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday in federal court in London. The scheme was an attempt to conceal that the motorcycles were stolen.The ring made $2.5 million from January 2000 until about February 2008, according to the indictment.Robert W. Harris, 31, of Newport; Shon Fields, 33, of Riverside; Robert Jason Chapman, 31; Christina Bannigan, 31, both of Cleves; and four Eastern Kentuckians are charged with a money laundering conspiracy related to the interstate shipment of stolen motorcycles.The indictment also charges some of the eight defendants with money laundering and possessing stolen vehicle parts with the intent to sell them. In addition, Fields is charged with obstruction of justice and Harris, who goes by the alias Trader Bob, is charged with lying to a federal law enforcement agency.If convicted, the defendants face a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. Federal authorities are also trying to seize property, including a home in Newport, and asking for a judgment of $2.5 million against the individuals.

_________________Most active car club in the tri stateWanted:1950 Buick bumper and grille.

First Harley I ever had I bought off Bob. That was about 18 years ago. I like that they called him Trader Bob. That was his nickname from all the wheeling and dealing he's done. He even used that on his biker jacket when he was President of the Chariots Motorcycle Club in the late 70's early 80's

_________________Most active car club in the tri stateWanted:1950 Buick bumper and grille.

LONDON — The federal government has released additional details about a criminal case involving stolen motorcycles and money-laundering that last week resulted in the arrests of two Ashland men.

Those two, Richard “Dickie” Meade and George Ferguson, along with another defendant, Robert W. “Trader Bob” Harris, were arraigned Monday in U.S. District Court in London, according to court records unsealed that same day. All three entered pleas of not guilty.

Meade, Ferguson and Harris were indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury sitting in London. Meade is charged with conspiracy to commit money-laundering, two counts of aiding and abetting money-laundering, possession of vehicles and vehicle parts with altered vehicle identification, or VIN, numbers and aiding and abetting same, according to a redacted copy of the indictment.

Ferguson is charged with conspiracy to commit money-laundering and aiding and abetting money-laundering; Harris with conspiracy to commit money-laundering and making a false statement to authorities.

The defendants could face up to 20 years in prison if they are convicted. However, application of federal sentencing guidelines likely would result in them receiving shorter terms.

In addition, the government is seeking forfeiture of roughly $2.5 million cash — the amount it alleges the defendants derived from its criminal activities — along with numerous pieces of property in Boyd County owned by Meade, including his business, Hertz Car & Truck Rental, 1001 Winchester Ave.

The three defendants and others were allegedly involved in a theft ring that stole motorcycles and motorcycle parts. The case has been under investigation for several years by the FBI and the KSP’s London post. The group’s alleged crimes began in January 2000 and continued through “on or about” Feb. 1, 2008, in Bell, Knox, Boyd, Greenup and Campbell counties in Kentucky, among other locations, according to the indictment.

According to authorities, the alleged operation included a motorcycle chop shop on Meade Springer Road, where stolen bikes were taken, disassembled and then put back together on new frames with new VIN numbers so they could be sold.

Meade and Ferguson were arrested Friday by Boyd County sheriff’s deputies, KSP troopers and agents from the FBI’s Huntington field office. Meade was arrested at his business; Ferguson at his home in the 1900 block of Central Avenue. Both were taken to the Laurel County Correctional Center.

Magistrate Judge Hanly A. Ingram allowed all three defendants to be released on unsecured bonds following Monday’s arraignments. Ingram also set a trial of Oct. 17 in London before District Judge Gregory F. VanTatenhove.

The indictment alleges that on Sept. 20, 2006, Ferguson and Meade, “aided and abetted by each other,” knowingly and willingly conducted a financial transaction that affected interstate commerce, specifically the transfer of the title of a Big Dog motorcycle the two knew “represented the proceeds of illegal activity.”

The true bill also alleges Meade sold a Harley-Davidson comprised of stolen components on Dec. 21, 2006, and a stolen Thunder Mountain cycle on March 12, 2007.

Also, the indictment alleges Meade did “knowingly possess, purchase and take control of” a Harley-Davidson with an obliterated VIN in August 2007.

No additional information about Harris, including his city of residence, was immediately available. However, the document states that in May of this year in Campbell County, Harris told FBI agents he had only assembled 10 to 12 motorcycles since January 2000, and that he knew the information was false because he had previously certified to the Campbell County Clerk’s Office and the Kentucky Department of Transportation that he and two others had assembled more than 50 bikes since then.

Harris also allegedly told the agents one of those other individuals had no involvement in assembling the motorcycles.

Additional defendants are listed in the indictment, but their names are redacted. It’s likely those names will be made public after the suspects are arrested.

A grand jury indictment is a formal accusation of a crime and does not establish guilt.

KENNETH HART can be reached at khart@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2654

_________________Most active car club in the tri stateWanted:1950 Buick bumper and grille.